Author Topic: Dragon Fruit thread.  (Read 940666 times)

OrganicJim

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #125 on: January 16, 2013, 01:50:17 PM »
I set the frame up in August and just now got the winter cover completed and ready to mount. It takes me two days to put up the greenhouse frame now to where I can leave it till spring. Takes just a couple hours to put the plastic on.
I built it so I had space between dragon fruits to store other cold sensitive plants in pots that I keep under seven feet tall.
The posts are 8 feet apart and there is a 2 foot square around each post for the plants to lay over.
I covered the verticals with burlap to help root growth and to help store food from  the foliar sprays I use.









I just showed the first section of the frame going up. We send complete unit if anyone is interested.

nullzero

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #126 on: January 16, 2013, 02:01:56 PM »
OrganicJim,

Looks like a great setup, keep us updated when the fruit comes in  ;D.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

FlyingFoxFruits

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #127 on: January 17, 2013, 01:56:09 PM »
OrganicJim,

Clever set up!!

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

You are definitely going to be ready for the up and coming cold weather.
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LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #128 on: January 18, 2013, 12:38:15 AM »
This is a great thread.
I only have one Dragon Fruit variety: David Bowie.
I based my decision solely on the information provided by Pine Island Nursery.
I've planted 5-6 cuttings around an 8' wood pole staked in the ground .
Only one of those cuttings is climbing. But at least it's climbing at a good pace, so far. No fruit yet but, I'll keep y'all updated on the progress.
Does anyone have any info on the variety of Dragon Fruit?
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #129 on: January 18, 2013, 12:57:45 AM »
This is a great fruit, whose quality deserves to be improved. I can't wait 'till someone improves the sweetness, just like they've done with Jackfruit.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

sami

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #130 on: January 18, 2013, 01:28:02 AM »
« Last Edit: January 18, 2013, 01:34:38 AM by sami »

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #131 on: January 18, 2013, 02:34:34 AM »
I have no idea. But, that is one nice looking specimen/section you got there. :D
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #132 on: January 18, 2013, 10:46:23 PM »
If/when it produces fruit, please let us know the quality and production of the fruit.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

fyliu

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #133 on: January 19, 2013, 03:07:41 AM »
Any help with cultivar ID is much appreciated.
Where are these from? If they're wild (not cultivated) then by definition they're not any cultivar.

If you meant general types the yellow-green one is H. undatus and the blue-green one looks closer to H. polyrhizus.

Looking at a few section at this early stage it's hard to recognize more. A healthy strong plant will develop a few other distinguishing features such as flowers. But really, some cultivars are similar enough that people just consider then to be the same, which they may be.

bangkok

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #134 on: January 19, 2013, 07:07:59 AM »
Did anybody grow dragonfruit from seed or is that not recommendable? I want to have a good species and thought it is much easyier and safer to send seeds instead of a plant.

jez251

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #135 on: January 19, 2013, 08:25:10 AM »
Hey Bangkok,

I am currently growing some orange dragon fruit from seed. It's a slow process but it works.

Jaime

fyliu

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #136 on: January 21, 2013, 04:46:22 AM »
Did anybody grow dragonfruit from seed or is that not recommendable? I want to have a good species and thought it is much easyier and safer to send seeds instead of a plant.
Seedlings are usually different from the parents. Not in between. It's somewhat random. Sometimes you get one that doesn't produce pollen or is sterile. Usually people just end up with a fruit they don't like. But there's also a chance it might be good so try it. Better to try 100 if you have the space and select the best.

A breeder in the pitaya mailing list said he makes about 1 selection per 1000 seedling plants.

bangkok

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #137 on: January 21, 2013, 05:43:28 AM »
Thanks, then i will grow a cutting because i sure want to have a nice fruiting one if i take all the effort.

My wife sais that the red-flesh ones make stains in cloths so i will go for another color then.

nullzero

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #138 on: January 24, 2013, 12:15:38 AM »
Anyone growing the dragon fruit varieties; Condor, Maria Rose, Orejona, and Cebra? I just got some cuttings :), wanted to hear more info on growth habit, taste, etc.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

fyliu

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #139 on: January 24, 2013, 01:21:42 AM »
There aren't that much growth habit variations among dragonfruits.

I have Condor. It's similar to American Beauty. Magenta flesh, sweet. Not thick-stemmed so somewhat heat-tolerant. Filtered sunlight is best.
I tried Cebra and Orejona before. They're not especially memorable. I don't remember what they tasted like.

nullzero

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #140 on: January 24, 2013, 01:25:03 AM »
There aren't that much growth habit variations among dragonfruits.

I have Condor. It's similar to American Beauty. Magenta flesh, sweet. Not thick-stemmed so somewhat heat-tolerant. Filtered sunlight is best.
I tried Cebra and Orejona before. They're not especially memorable. I don't remember what they tasted like.

Thanks for the quick response. Btw, sometime in the future I am going to save some removed glochid prickly pears for you.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

marvelz

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #141 on: January 24, 2013, 03:23:16 AM »
Some great pictures here, keep them coming. I'm learning new and interesting things about dragonfruits.  :)

LEOOEL

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #142 on: January 26, 2013, 09:51:48 PM »
Nullzero,

The Opuntia I got from you is doing, "so far so good". It’s just sitting pretty in the full sun.

Hey, if you ever create/produce or find an even better quality, bigger, tastier, seedless, more productive Opuntia, please let me know.
These edible cacti cultivars have a lot of potential and need/deserve to be improved.

I think the same could also be said for Dragon Fruit; This is a great thread you started!
The David Bowie Dragon Fruit cultivar cuttings, that I planted around a pressure treated pole in the ground, I suspect are showing some kind of 'nematode' damage.
I didn't put up any barrier between them and the Dragon Fruit roots.
I've noticed some professionals (i.e. Pine Island Nursery) use pesticides, sand, pots and plastic sheets, as barriers.
I'll keep observing the progress (or lack of) for about a year. I think I'm coming to the conclusion, that I'll have to put up some kind of barrier(s), also.

If nematodes are a problem for some cacti, like Dragon Fruit in South Florida, we may have to apply a similar grafting technique like that used for citrus, mango...
Step 1    Find a nematode proof/resistant Dragon Fruit cultivar, then
Step 2    'Graft' the desired Dragon Fruit cultivar to the variety in Step 1
This seems like a reasonable way to proceed. In this way, you're eliminating the nematode barrier(s) hassle.

Who knows, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, since I'm just learning about edible cacti.
Anyway, I'll see how things progress and make decisions along the way to speed things up.

I just find the idea of eating fruits from a cactus fascinating.
Keep up the good work, it surely is needed.

Best regards,
Leo
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.

MarinFla

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #143 on: May 02, 2013, 07:56:48 AM »
I am very amazed at just how fast these plants grow! Below are the pictures comparing  January to March and the growth in just 2 months!


January 2012



March 2012.






April 2012
AMAZING GROWTH in just 3 MONTHS








I started this dragon fruit set up on January 1st 2012 from a few little cuttings, so it is now 16 months from inception. It has been a year since the last picture was posted so I took an update photo.
It is not noticeable in the photo but there are about 20 flowers just forming now.
I am so happy with this set up. It has served well and the shape is great.





« Last Edit: May 02, 2013, 08:10:03 AM by MarinFla »

nullzero

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #144 on: May 02, 2013, 11:17:52 AM »
MarinFla,

Nice update, big different in the before and after pictures  ;D.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Kay

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #145 on: May 03, 2013, 10:18:41 AM »
Some Hylocereus here.




Farm


Cheap/easy mostly eco friendly way to grow.


red fruit



purple fruit



H. undatus (white)




taking cuttings in greenhouse (under 70% shade cloth).  these are after drying 3 days.




Variegated Hylocereus (not at all of interest to fruit growers, but thought i would post it anyway in case there are other cactus enthusiasts as well.


Grafting rootstock stock plant section.

Fruitguy

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #146 on: May 03, 2013, 12:16:34 PM »
Excellent pictures Kay!  I'd be interested in knowing more about the variegated one.

Kay

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #147 on: May 03, 2013, 01:28:21 PM »
it was a gift from an old friend of mine who is a retired orchid grower turned cactus collector.  He is unfortunately very sick so he is slowly losing his collection.  All I can say about the variegated one is its almost certainly a hybrid of unknown origin.  Wish I knew more.

MarinFla

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #148 on: May 03, 2013, 10:08:24 PM »
Some Hylocereus here.




Farm


Cheap/easy mostly eco friendly way to grow.


red fruit



purple fruit



H. undatus (white)




taking cuttings in greenhouse (under 70% shade cloth).  these are after drying 3 days.




Variegated Hylocereus (not at all of interest to fruit growers, but thought i would post it anyway in case there are other cactus enthusiasts as well.


Grafting rootstock stock plant section.


Kay, the type of set up they are using on the farm was the inspiration for the structure I built to grow mine on. Great pics Thanks. I really like the color of the purple fruit. All of mine are pink or magenta.

LaddaLove34

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Re: Dragon Fruit thread.
« Reply #149 on: June 02, 2013, 01:21:46 AM »
If anybody could give me some cuttings of their dragon fruit,I would greatly appreciate it.